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Protect Kids

1) It is time to hold schools and libraries to the same standards as everyone else.Florida law established fines and jail time for adults giving "harmful," (i.e., obscene or pornographic) materials to children. However, teachers, librarians, and others working in our educational systems can still provide these same materials to children without seeking parental permission, and parents have no recourse. Current law assumes that legally obscene material is suddenly not harmful if passed through a school or library, even though it is the exact same material these laws intended to prohibit being handed to children in other contexts. There is no “educational” need for legally obscene material.

2) The obscenity exemptions for schools and libraries facilitate grooming for sexual exploitation and abuse and give sexual predators a safe way to access children.

Providing sexually explicit materials in schools and libraries desensitizes children to sexual ideas, conversations, and conduct. This is a strong component of the grooming process used by sexual predators. Sexually explicit materials have been found in all aspects of school curriculum including literature, history, class parties, art, and special projects. It cannot be avoided by parents simply opting out of sex education classes. This leaves children even more susceptible to exploitation and abuse, from other minors, and from adults. We need to immediately repeal laws that facilitate sexual exploitation and abuse. The "harmful to minors" laws must be allowed to function as intended without protecting certain occupations.

3) Current laws are not protecting our children. In growing numbers, teachers, coaches, and other school employees have been convicted of sexual misconduct with young students. Countless more have gone unreported.

Permitting sexually explicit materials in schools presented by teachers exacerbates the problem by creating a sexually charged environment. Teachers are in a position of authority, with nearly complete freedom to discuss everything with young children, including erotic topics. Sexual predators can use teaching as an avenue to groom their intended target, or even entire classrooms all at once, while being protected by this loophole.

4) Repealing the obscenity loophole will continue to allow the teaching of biology, physiology and human anatomy as scientific disciplines.

Schools will be able to continue to teach factual information about the human body in the context of science class. Schools will also be able to continue to teach about healthy living and relationships without exposing children to legally obscene material. There is no educational value or purpose to legally obscene and pornographic material